The construction of a proposed gas pipeline, half of which in Afghanistan, would start next year, Asian Development Bank (ADB) told reporters Monday.
After a meeting of the Second Steering Committee of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Gas pipeline Project, ADB representative Seethapathy Chander said, the project would start soon after the completion of feasibility studies in June 2003.
The committee of project had its first meeting last year in Ashgabad, capital of Turkmenistan, and agreed on asking ADB's help and assistance on the process.
ADB allocated 1.5 million US dollars to the feasibility studies of the 1400 km project which will cost a total of 2.0 to 2.5 billion US dollars.
At a press conference after the meeting, Joma Mohmmad Mohamadi, minister of mine and industry of Afghanistan, said that ADB representatives submitted two important documents to the steering committee Monday: one on the terms for consultants and the other on the framework of agreement.
When the Steering Committee meets again on Tuesday, the committee members and the representatives of the three countries will review the documents and finalize them, Mohamadi said.
The minister noted that the project would create a huge number of job opportunities for Afghan people and benefit some areas in the country, such as Heart, Farha Kandahar and Helmand.
Yolly Gurbanmuradov, deputy chairman of Turkmen Cabinet, and Usman Aminnaddin, minister of petroleum and natural resources, attended Monday's meeting.